Tuesday, October 08, 2013

Yan Dhanda Could Have Joined Chelsea

Liverpool teenager Yan Dhanda has revealed that he once missed the opportunity to undertake a trial with Chelsea, but believes he ended up at the right club after moving to Anfield this summer.

The 14-year-old has the ambition of becoming the first Indian player to feature for the club's first team, but may have had the chance to establish himself at Chelsea if things had gone differently.

During his time with West Brom, Dhanda won a competition held by Chelsea in search of an Asian star, and his prize for success was the chance to go on trial with the Stamford Bridge club.

But, says Dhanda, he had to forgo the offer from Chelsea in order to fulfil his commitments with the Baggies.

"I was surprised to win because I was at West Brom at the time," Dhanda told the official Liverpool website.

"I won a trial at Chelsea but I was away with West Brom so I didn't go."

Dhanda, though, is perfectly content with having eventually secured a switch to Liverpool, and explains how the influence of manager Brendan Rodgers persuaded him to reject other offers in favour of a move to Merseyside.

He added: "I was so excited and the fact that Brendan Rodgers was manager made me even more excited.

"It made me want to join Liverpool more than ever because of the way he has faith in young players."